


Jade

by sydro97



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-11-19 05:41:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 15,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11306859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sydro97/pseuds/sydro97
Summary: After graduation, Beca moves to LA to become a DJ or music producer, whichever finds her first. A few months in the city and she hasn't really become as successful as she had expected. That all changes when she's asked to DJ at a big club opening. While there, she reunites with Chloe in the most unexpected way.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I started this fic 2 years ago and then gave up, but now I am deciding to go back to it. However, I haven't really edited anything that young me wrote, so it might be a little rough for the first few (several) chapters, so I apologize. Hopefully it will get better once I start writing new material, but maybe I'm just still bad. Also, this chapter is hella short, sorry for that as well. Let me know what y'all think!

It was a few months after graduation and Beca still hadn't really found her way. LA was a lot more daunting than she had expected. Sure, she had Jesse there to help her when she felt overwhelmed, but she couldn't rely on him too much, she needed to figure things out for herself, she was Beca Effin’ Mitchell after all. The internship at the record label near Barden had been great experience, but it didn't really seem matter to anyone once she got to LA. Since she arrived, she had taken small jobs as DJs for little parties, none that mattered. She was still making her own tracks, and was trying more of what she had learned from the internship- trying to make new things, not just dubstep mashups. Since graduating, she had come up with two original pieces, thanks to her favorite freshman, Emily. However, she couldn't get anyone to do anything with these works. No one was interested in taking her in as a producer or even sign her under a label. But Beca refused to give up. She had wanted this for so long, and now she was close, she could feel it. She just needed a break through. The right party, the right people, or the right track. She just needed one of these things and then all her dreams would come true.

Jesse on the other hand, was doing great things. He wasn't scoring movies like he wanted, but he was working on soundtracks for video games. It was great experience for him. He was working with all the things and types of people he had wanted. Yeah, it wasn't movies and he wasn't bringing people to tears, but he was on his way. And he was still bringing emotion to the viewers/players. He could make something more intense, scarier, or sadder. His success is why he tried so hard to help Beca. He couldn't stand to see her not making her dreams come true. She was so talented and passionate, _why was she not successful yet_? he thought.

After the World Championship and a few weeks in LA, Beca and Jesse decided to call it quits on their relationship. It was a mutual breakup, so they said, but it was really more so Beca’s idea than Jesse’s. She couldn't stand how clingy he would get sometimes. Jesse agreed to break up mostly because he wanted to focus on his career, which is what he told himself and Beca, but really he was heartbroken about the whole thing. They remained very close friends, though. So close that they even went to each other with relationship issues. In fact, Jesse was the first person Beca told of her newly discovered sexuality. After her encounters with Kommissar, she really started to question everything. Then, in LA, when she was around so many beautiful women, she realized that she was in fact bisexual. Realizing that was a huge weight off her shoulders. She had been attracted to many women in the past, but just shrugged it off thinking every girl thinks those things about other beautiful women.

Beca’s relationships with the other Bellas sadly became almost nonexistent. She would occasionally talk to Cynthia Rose or Stacie, but it was very seldom. Fat Amy would reach out every once in a while with some crazy story or an invite to a weird party, but there was never any real conversation between the two. The one Bella that Beca remained closest to was Chloe, of course. Although, even that relationship had dwindled. Chloe knew that Beca was in LA. Chloe was only about an hour away in Santa Barbra. She was working as a performer. Somehow, though, the two hadn't managed to meet up in Cali since they moved. Part of the reason for that may be because Chloe had just moved to Santa Barbara a few weeks ago. After graduation, Chloe still didn't know what she wanted to do with her life. At the group camp outing with Aubrey, she said that she would maybe either want to teach underprivileged kids how to sing or become an exotic dancer. It amazed Beca that after seven years of college, the girl still didn't know what she wanted to do. But that was Chloe. She was spontaneous. She sometimes had a plan, but it could always be changed. The fact that Chloe was performing for a living made Beca so happy. She knew how much that redhead liked to be singing and dancing live for an audience. Beca was happy for Chloe. She was happy for Jesse. Everyone seemed to be doing well but her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I apologize for the writing, but let me know what you guys think so far! Any criticism is welcome!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another 2 year-old chapter. They'll be old until like chapter 9, I think? This one is a little bit longer and actually includes dialogue! Let me know what you think!

One night Beca was DJing for some lame-ass’s party. She was playing some of her basic stuff, the mashups she had worked on for years. She also threw in the Flashlight track and one other new one. She was hoping to grab the attention of the audience, like a DJ is supposed to do. However, these teens were too stoned to notice anything. She really shouldn't have been trying to woe these kids, what did they even know about good music? When the party was over, she packed her stuff up and was leaving when someone stopped her. He was middle-aged and balding. He had on a nice suit, though, and some designer glasses.

“Hello, I’m Rick. My son was at this party and while I was waiting to pick him up and take him home—

_Oh Jesus_ , Beca thought, _these kids are young enough to have their parents drive them around? Why am I stuck with these shitty jobs? Why me?_

The guy continued while Beca was internally giving herself a hate talk, “I heard your music. You’ve got some great mixes there.”

Beca snapped out of her pity party and looked up. “Oh really? You think so? Thank you.” She kind of blushed, but quickly tried to shake it away. Blushing wasn't a hardcore, badass thing to do. She had to maintain her image.

“Yeah. You’re really creative. Do you DJ for parties often?”

Beca wanted to roll her eyes so badly ( _Why would I be DJing for some puberty-stricken kids if I was a regular at this?_ she thought), but she stopped herself, this guy could be getting somewhere. “Uh, I do occasionally. I’ve only just moved here a few months ago. Haven’t really got both feet on the ground yet.” She tried to seem laissez faire about her whole situation, but she was truly troubled by her lack of success.

“Well I happen to be a part-owner of a few clubs. And my associates and I are getting ready to unveil a new nightspot downtown. Maybe you’d like to DJ the grand opening party? It’s a pretty exclusive deal, people have been trying to get on the list for months. Lots of big-wigs will be there. Are you interested?”

_Uh, fuck yeah!_ Beca thought. “Yeah that sounds great! When and where is it? And if you don’t mind my asking, how much does this event pay?”

The man grinned. “Here’s my business card. Give me a call by Wednesday and we can discuss the details. Right now I have to get my son back home.” The man gave Beca a business card. Rick Bradley. _Now this is something_ , Beca was thinking and grinning to herself as she read over the card a few times.

When she got back to her apartment, she quickly gave Jesse a call.

“Man, you wont believe what happened tonight!” She was so excited she couldn't even contain it. Her cool and calm act faded away. This was exciting shit, there was no need to act bad ass now.

“What happened?” Jesse asked in a kind of tone an uninterested mother uses to their easily amused child.

“At this lame ass party I was DJing for, this kid’s dad came up to me and offered me a job DJing for the grand opening of some super dope new club!” The words came out of Beca’s mouth so quickly, Jesse had to take a minute to process it all.

“So wait, this random guy wants you to DJ for a new club? How did he even hear your stuff?” “He was waiting outside for the party to be over to take his kid home-“ Jesse then interrupted with a laugh.

“You were DJing for a bunch of pre-driving kids? That’s hilarious.”

“Knock it off. I have to take any job I can get. Anyway, he heard my mixes and just offered me the job.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

“Well, that’s awesome. I’m happy for you, Becs.”

“I am too. Hopefully this’ll be it for me. I don’t even know how much it pays, but I don’t really care.”

“Oh, I’m sure you care.”

“You’re right, I kinda do.” Beca, at this point, was too excited to keep talking, she wanted to do something. She said goodnight to Jesse and then hung up. She wanted to work on a few mixes now that she had somewhere to play them. Somewhere where people would actually listen.

She desperately wanted to call that Rick guy, but he said by Wednesday. Since it was only Saturday, she figured he’d need to work out the details with his associates. So, she’d wait. Plus, she didn't want to seem too desperate. After all, he thinks she’s more successful than she is.

After working on her laptop for some time, she decided it was time to call it quits and go to sleep. As she was laying in bed, Beca thought about Chloe. She didn’t really know why, they hadn't talked in a few days. But for some reason, Chloe popped in her head. She thought about maybe shooting her a text about the good news, but it would just kinda seem like bragging, especially since they hadn't talked much. _Maybe I’ll just call her tomorrow and we can catch up_ , she thought. And then, happy with that idea, she decided to drift off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully you guys liked it! I'm really excited to start working on this fic again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chloe and Beca finally interact!! As always, let me know if you like it (or not).

Beca woke up around noon the next day. Noon was her usual wakeup time. Anything earlier and she was pretty much a grump all day. Noon was safe for her. When she woke up, she immediately made a pot of coffee, and sat down sipping a cup as she checked her social media. Nothing really big was happening. She did see, though, that Amy and Bumper were together being coupley at a party, which made her smile.

She thought about last night and her big news, and decided to do a little research on her savior. After Jesse’s subtle, but noticeable speculation, she thought maybe she was being duped. She looked up Rick Bradley and added LA after it to narrow the search. The results threw Beca back a bit. This guy was surprisingly legit. He owned several bars and clubs in the LA area, a few of which were huge hits. There were pictures of the Kardashians at one of his clubs. This made Beca ecstatic.

After she finished her coffee, she decided to give Chloe a call like she told herself she would before going to sleep. Beca had to plan out what she was going to say, though. She took a few minutes and roughly outlined a script in her mind. Then she dialed.

“Hey, Becs! Haven’t talked to you in a while! How are you?” Chloe sounded so happy to be talking to Beca.

“I’m doing better, actually. How are things with you?” She decided to wait to get into the news, still not wanting to make the call seem all about her.

“I’m doing great. I’ve been doing performances every weekend since I’ve been here. I’m really getting the hang of being here, better than I thought.” For some reason, Chloe became distracted. She wasn't as chipper as when she answered the phone. “So how’s the DJ business going?”

This is what Beca was waiting for. She was so excited to tell Chloe. “I, uh, actually got a big gig coming up.”

“What?! Really? That’s exciting! Who’s it for? When is it? How’d this happen?” Chloe was readily firing questions at Beca. Her energy surely was back.

“I know, I’m pretty excited about it. This guy came up to me at the last party I was DJing for.” She decided to leave out the fact that she was DJing for a bunch of kids. She figured it’d take away from the excitement. “And he said he really liked my mixes. He wants me to DJ for the opening night of his newest club. He handed me his card and told me to call for the details. I looked him up this morning before I called you, and he owns several clubs here in LA, many of which are successful, actually.”

“Oh my god, Beca, that is so cool! I’m so happy for you! So did you call him?”

“No, not yet. I figure he has to work out some details with his co-owners first. I’ll probably call him in a few days.”

“That seems smart, good thinking, Becs. When you get the details, give me a call or shoot me a text. Maybe I can find a way to get in and come see you perform!” Beca could see Chloe’s smile. She knew exactly what she looked like on the other line, and that face was making Beca smile too and she couldn't help it.

“Yeah, I’ll definitely do that. So is anything else going on with you? Have you talked to any of the other Bellas in a while? I saw Amy and Bumper on Instagram this morning. I was glad to see things were still going well between them.”

“I mean, I obviously still talk to Aubrey, but that’s not new news. I talked to Emily a bit, too. She is trying to get stuff together for managing auditions all by herself for this year. She’s pretty nervous about it. I remember doing all that stuff with Aubrey and that was so stressful, and I barely even did anything. Aubrey did it all. I can’t imagine having to do it all myself. Other than that, I haven’t really spoken to anyone else.”

“Oh man, that seems pretty rough. Maybe we can FaceTime her and try and help her get stuff situated. She’s helped me a lot with my tracks, I kinda wanna return the favor.”

Chloe took a little pause. Beca knew that meant that Chloe was smirking on the other line. Anytime Beca showed that she cared for anyone, Chloe let out a little smile. She knew it was because Beca liked to act like she was all tough and mighty, but deep down, Chloe knew Beca was sweet and she cared. Beca hated that Chloe knew her like that.

Eventually, though, Chloe started talking. “Yeah, that’s a good idea, Becs. Good thinkin’.”

Beca rolled her eyes. The conversation lulled for a second, neither of them really having anything else to say. _This is probably why we never talk_ , Beca thought. Beca then heard Chloe click her tongue and making a low “umm” sound like she was thinking about something.

“So, you meet any guys yet in LA? I mean, now that you and Jesse broke up. Unless you aren’t really ready to date yet, which I totally understand.” Chloe talked very quickly, and almost sort of rambling, as if she were trying to make up for the lapse in conversation.

“Uh, not really. I’ve kinda just kept to myself actually, which I’m sure surprises you.” Beca kinda chuckled at her own comment.

She knew she was an introvert, she had opened up around the Bellas, but that’s because she cared about them and was around them all the time. It really took her a while to open up to other people. She had to know them for a while first. She had definitely tried working on it though, especially after her fallout with the Bellas her freshman year. But, like she told Chloe, there was really no advancement in the relationship area. She wasn't quite ready to take that whole trek again. She was free from being in a relationship. She didn't have to care about someone else’s feelings. That made her feel more at ease, especially since she hadn't been doing so well in her own life.

Chloe laughed a little at Beca’s comment as well. “You’re right, that’s a total shocker. Well, I’m sure you’ll eventually find someone.” Chloe’s tone took a turn at that last part. It was almost like she was reading it off something. She seemed dry and monotonous about it, clearly not smiling anymore.

“Yeah, maybe. But I’m not sure I’m really looking for anything anyway. So what about you, Chlo? You find anybody? Maybe a fellow dancer?”

“Nope. No one on my end either.” She seemed to perk back up.

“That’s surprising to me actually. I’d figure you’d be hooking up in public showers with at least two guys by now. How long you been there? Three weeks? And still nothing. I’m slightly disappointed in you, Chloe Beale.” Beca was teasing, that was evident. She loved to give Chloe a hard time about the incident in the shower.

“Oh hush up, Mitchell. Anyway, I got to get going. I have to go rehearse for my next show.”

“Can’t stand the heat. I get it.” Beca was enjoying teasing her friend far too much. She didn't want her to go.

“I am so done with you.” Chloe knew that Beca was just messing around, so she played back.

“You know you’re not.”

“Whatever, bye.”

Chloe hung up the phone. But she couldn't help but look at her phone and smile for a few seconds. Chloe was happy she and Beca were going back and forth like this again. Like there was no time that had passed. Chloe definitely missed seeing Beca everyday, probably more so than the other Bellas, and she didn't really know why. Maybe it was because of their intense chemistry as friends. Or maybe it was because for four years, Chloe had the biggest crush on Beca.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some flashback beca/chloe scenes in this one. We're getting closer to the new chapters, so hopefully it'll start to get a little better.

After hanging up with Chloe, Beca decided to shoot Emily a text and ask her how things were going with auditions. She knew from Chloe they weren't going well, but she decided to let Emily tell her that. A few minutes of mindlessly scrolling through her phone, Beca received a response from Emily.

“Hey, Beca! Things are going… ok here. It’s kinda stressful trying to put everything together. But Benji has been visiting me and trying to help. He’s really been really sweet about all of this.”

Beca didn’t really expect that response from her. She figured that Emily was probably losing her marbles after the way Chloe described her situation. But Beca had forgotten about Benji, kind of. And the fact that he was there with Emily really made Beca happy. She liked the two of them together. Beca was close with Benji through association of Jesse and she really grew to like his awkward adorableness. And Emily was the same way. She said things that normal people probably wouldn't say, and that made her especially likable in Beca’s eyes. The fact that the two were just so weird is what made them a cute couple.

Beca thought about a response and just simply typed out, “That’s good. Just call if you need any help.” She wasn't really the one to help with those sort of things, and she had just realized that. When she mentioned it earlier, she was more so hoping that Chloe would be the one to offer the assistance, so Beca could seem caring without really having to lift a finger.

After not getting a response from Emily, Beca decided to shower and get dressed. She figured she might as well leave the apartment and do something since she has nothing to do. When she was all ready, she headed out to a local coffee shop. She ordered a black coffee and sat down at a table in the corner and pulled out her headphones and laptop.

Yes, she was one of those people. She would sit in a coffee shop for up to two hours, lost in her mashups. Only when a barista would ask her about a refill or if she needed anything else would Beca realize that she had been sitting there for way too long and awkwardly leave. So that’s what she was going to do. She pulled up her software and just began mixing songs together. She started with Beyonce’s “Flawless” and weaved Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off” in with it. It started out pretty cool, but then she needed one more song to really bring it together. She tried to think of something, but for some reason she was blocked. While she was sitting there, trying to think of a song, she saw her phone light up. It was a text from Chloe.

“Hey, don’t forget to text me the details of your big party. I wanna come see you perform.” Beca smiled at the sight of the text. She began to picture Chloe at the club, watching her with that same smile she gave her when she auditioned for the Bellas back when she was just an insecure freshman. She loved that smile. It made her feel like Chloe was caring, cheering her on. Like she knew what Beca was capable of and when she performed to that capability, Chloe felt Beca’s accomplishment almost as if they were her own.

Thinking about Chloe at the club, she thought about all the times they went out together, either as friends or in a group as the Bellas. They went to countless clubs and bars. They liked (well rather Chloe liked and Beca followed) to do a sort of a bar crawl when they went to new cities for competitions or for their tour of the US after being ICCA champions. They almost always had a really good time. When it wasn't a good time, it was usually because either Chloe would find some random dude to hook up with and sort of leave Beca (Chloe was usually hammered in these situations) or it would be because Jesse was being very needy and wasn’t liking the idea of Beca being out at bars in a strange city, _even though she could handle her damn self_ , she would think to say to him.

When they went out, Chloe often got much more drunk than Beca did. Beca didn't really mind having to be the responsible one out of the two of them. She actually thought it was kind of funny to see Chloe like that. She was all chatty and friendly, well more than usual. And her dancing was the best part. The typically well-choreographed and clean dancer, became an animal on the dance floor. She barely had rhythm, and when she did, she danced so dirtily that Beca couldn’t help but pull her off of some people. However, whenever Chloe was dancing like that on Beca, she couldn't manage to push her away. She liked Chloe like that. She was a free spirit.

The best of these nights were when they found a karaoke bar. A karaoke bar to Chloe was like a Chuck E. Cheese’s is to a little kid. She would run inside, super excited and she could spend hours there. She didn't even have to be singing to have fun. Chloe just loved watching people perform. She loved the ones that really knew what they were doing, like her, she loved the people that were so drunk they couldn't even read the words off the screen, and she loved the tone deaf people that thought they were doing so well, but were utterly failing. The whole experience was something amazing to Chloe. Beca, on the other hand, didn't really care about them. I _spend all day singing and dancing at Bellas rehearsals, why do I have to do the same thing here?_ She would think when Chloe offered up the idea. But the fact that they made Chloe so happy was the only reason Beca dragged her ass into those bars.

When it was Chloe’s turn to sing, she would always choose the same song. “Gangster’s Paradise” by Coolio. That, for some reason, was a blast for Chloe to sing. It wasn't the ballad-type that would be assumed of Chloe. It was a loose, relaxed rap song that she just had so much fun singing. She didn't even have to be drunk to perform it, although it did make the performance more enjoyable, Beca thought.

“That’s it!” Beca said out loud in the coffee shop, breaking her reverie of Chloe in bars. A few people looked around at her, probably judging her for her outburst. But Beca didn’t care. She had thought of the perfect song to add to her mashup. No more mixer’s block. She was going to add “Gangster’s Paradise” into her mix of “Flawless” and “Shake it Off”. After she thought of that song and finished that mashup, the flow of new songs and mixes was unstoppable. She went on for a while, longer than her usual coffee shop stay. And she finished about three mixes by the time a barista came up to her. Beca was proud of the progress she had made. And it was all thanks to her inspiration or muse - Chloe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Again, criticism is welcome :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting closer to having the two reunite! As always, enjoy and let me know what you think!

Beca just kind of sat around for a few days, not really having anything to do or nowhere to go. She wanted to hang out with Jesse, and she did briefly for one night, but he was really busy with a big project at work. So she let him be. Beca made a few mixes for the party she would be DJing for, but after exhausting all the possible ideas in her head, she decided to take a break from that for a while, too.

One night, she FaceTimed Emily, just to make sure all of her Bellas stuff was going well. It wasn’t. But Beca didn't really have much advice, so they just talked. They talked about Barden and the auditioning Bellas. Emily had a few stories of some really weird auditions that made Beca laugh, and kinda miss the whole process. They talked a little bit about Benji and their relationship. Things were actually going really well for them. Benji was an entertainer (magician) around the area, going from event to event and performing his magic. He also performed a few times, musically, not magically. Beca was really happy to hear that they were doing so well, she thought they were adorable together. They talked for a little while longer, but then Emily got tired and said bye. Beca never really told Emily about the DJ gig at the club. For some reason, she just felt like she didn't need to share it, which was weird.

Tuesday night, Beca decided to call up Chloe again. After trying her twice without answer, she gave up. She figured Chloe was doing a show. While Beca was watching some dumb reality show, though, Chloe called her back.

“Hey, Becs! Sorry I missed your call, I was on a run.” Beca looked at the time, it was 11 at night.

“Why were you running so late?”

“Oh I just had some stuff on my mind that I wanted to clear up. Don’t like going to bed with so many thoughts.” Chloe seemed very casual about it.

“Anything you wanna talk about?” Beca didn't really like the whole emotional girl-talk, but if her friend was struggling with something, she wanted to try and be there to help her.

“Nah. It’s nothing. The run helped. I’m all cured!” Chloe said in her high-pitched happy voice.

“Alright, well if you ever wanna talk about something without having to kill yourself with god awful cardio, you can always call me.”

“Look at you, Mitchell, being all caring and stuff. How adorable.” Beca could see that grin again.

“God, why do I even try?” Beca rolled her eyes, but was smiling the whole time.

“Because you love me.” Chloe heart picked up a little at that.

“Whatever you need to tell yourself to sleep at night, Beale.”

“So, why are you calling? Just wanted to hear my voice or do you have some more news on the DJing thing?” Chloe enjoyed the back and forth, but sometimes it became almost flirtatious. When that happened, as much as she enjoyed it, she tried to back off. Sure, she didn't really have a crush on Beca anymore, mostly because they never saw each other, but she used to. And talking like that was kind of like teasing the red head.

“Uh, I actually don’t know why I called. I guess your sarcastic guess was right. Just wanted to hear your voice.” Beca thought about why she called her, she really didn’t know why she did. She figured it was because she was bored. Her only friend she ever saw or hung out with was Jesse and he was busy, so she needed someone to talk to.

“Aw, you’re so sweet, Bec.” Chloe was being sarcastic, of course.

“I know I am.”

For a minute, neither of them really said anything. This was the second time this had happened and Beca didn't like it. Conversation with her best friend used to be so much easier. It used to come naturally. Now she felt like she had to work for it. Beca thought maybe if they hung out, things would go back to normal. So she gave it a go. “Hey, what are you doing on Thursday?”

“Uh, I’m not really sure. Why?” Chloe was not expecting the conversation to pick back up like that. She loved Beca, as a friend, but she didn't really feel like seeing her. Chloe had a lot on her plate, and she couldn't get into any of it with Beca. It wasn't that she didn't trust Beca, it was more like she just didn't want her to know about her issues. She didn't want to burden her. Beca wasn't a sharer, she wasn't a very open person. Sure, she had her moments, but Beca liked things to be easy. No gooey emotions, if at all possible. So the fact that Chloe had a lot to deal with kind of made her want to stay away from Beca, as much as she hated to admit that. However, when Beca asked if they want to meet up and go out, despite all prior excuses and reasoning Chloe had given herself to say no, she couldn't help but excitedly accept the offer.

“Great! I haven’t seen you in what feels like forever. We could meet up halfway, if that sounds good?”

“Yeah sure! I think Malibu might be right about halfway, if you wanna meet there. I’m sure we could find plenty to do there.” Chloe was so happy that she’d actually be seeing Beca, that she actually forgot about all her apprehension.

“Malibu sounds great. So Thursday in Malibu. How about we meet for a late lunch/dinner and then go out?” Beca, not usually a planner, was all set to make this time fun. She wanted her reunion with Chloe to be something special. After all, she hadn't seen the ginger in _so long!_ she thought.

“You’ve got yourself a date, Mitchell. I will see you then.” Chloe, realizing her words, couldn't help but sigh. She hung up the phone after a quick goodbye and just thought to herself, _God dammit Chloe. What the hell are you getting yourself into?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally some info on the party! Wow, I really wanted to drag this shit out, I guess. So much context, I apologize. But we're getting there. Thanks for sticking with it.

By the time Wednesday rolled around, Beca had become impatient. Several times she wanted to pick up the phone and dial Rick Bradley’s number and just figure out what was going to happen with her. The more time that passed, though, Beca started to doubt herself. _If this was such a big party, like the guy claimed it is, then why is he using some random DJ he found at a kids’ party? Shouldn't he get someone experienced? Maybe he doesn't actually want me or maybe this party isn't as big and A-list as he sad it was._ She hated doubting herself, but she just couldn't help it. She didn't think that there was any chance that this could be happening to her. Yeah, the first night she found out, she was super ecstatic and happy about it, but that’s because the idea was fresh in her mind. It had just happened. Her conscience didn't have time to taint what has happening yet. However, after almost 5 days of sitting, twiddling her thumbs, and waiting, Beca had time to spoil the whole concept for herself.

But, of course, she would never let anyone know how much she really doubted herself. Beca Mitchell was confident. That was her thing. A confident badass. In fact, like her Australian friend so eloquently pointed out, she is Beca Effin’ Mitchell. Nothing was going to deter her from anything… Except maybe herself. Amy had seen Beca struggling when she was interning and trying to come up with an original and unique voice, and that was awkward. Amy did help Beca get over her slump, but having one of her friends seeing her lacking confidence and not knowing what to do kind of embarrassed Beca. That’s why when Beca was freaking out about this new DJ gig, she didn't share those thoughts with anyone. Jesse and Chloe kept asking for the details (even though they both knew that she wouldn't have them until at least Wednesday), but Beca just quickly changed the subject.

On Wednesday, though, it was finally time for Beca to call the owner of the club. She was really nervous. She didn't want to make herself look like a fool. She didn't want her nerves to be heard, making her look unqualified and unprofessional. But she had to call the guy. She had to get the details and lay all of the nerves to rest. After all, this was Beca’s big break.

After psyching her self up a bit, Beca picked up the phone and dialed the number from the business card. A few rings later, a man picked up.

“Hello, this is Rick Bradley,” the man answered in a very business-y tone.

“Hi, yes, Rick. This is Beca Mitchell, the DJ you gave your card to the other night at that party your son was at.” Beca was obviously nervous, her voice made that clear.

“Oh, yeah Beca! I’ve been waiting for your call.” He didn't really sound sincere. But Beca was still confused. He had said to call Wednesday. Should she have called earlier? She had been trying to not seem desperate, but did she come off uninterested instead? Her mind was racing, not at all helping her already rampant nerves.

“You were? I’m sorry. I’ve been busy.” A blatant lie. “I was just wondering if you had figured out the details of the party?”

“Yes, we have. I don’t know what all I told you when we first met, but the party is this Saturday staring at 10. You’ll be DJing the whole night. I’m not really sure until what hours of the morning we’ll be open, it all depends on the turnout and the rate of the guests. The pay will be decent, somewhere in the 6 figure range, if that’s enough for you. And the name of the club is Dorado, and it’s located on the Sunset Strip. Is that all the information you were looking for?” The man sounded preoccupied on the last question.

Beca was trying to contain herself. 6 figures?! _Of-fucking-course that’s enough for me. I’ve been making actual shit. I’d be lucky if I made $50. Now I’m getting 6 fucking figures?! Are you fucking kidding me? But then her mind went negative again. Now I know this guy has got to be fuckin’ with me. There’s no way he hires a girl at a 6 figure rate when he’s heard like two songs played at a teenager’s party. No way._

_“Uh, actually, I was just wondering why you chose me? Like if this is such a big deal of a party and such an exclusive night, why didn't you pick someone known and liked? Like Tiesto or someone?” As soon as the words came out of her mouth, she immediately regretted them. This is not how you impress your employer, she thought._

“To be honest, my associates actually almost turned down the idea of hiring you as our DJ. But I convinced them. You see, this is a new club. It’s a new feel, new atmosphere, and relatively new guests. So why would we add the same old music that we had heard before? I heard a few of your mixes last weekend and thought your style was fresh, it was inventive, it was exactly what I pictured in our club. Sure, everyone loves Tiesto or Skrillex, but we aren't going for predictable. We are going for creative.”

Beca’s nerves almost completely subsided. She loved hearing those words. To be compared to Tiesto and Skrillex and being called more creative than them made Beca ecstatic. She set all of her doubts aside. There was just one more thing on her mind, her friends. She had to share this experience with them, especially now that she knew it was for real. And, not to mention, she had already basically told hem they could go, without actually asking.

“One more thing.” Beca kinda paused, seeing if Rick was going to give her some acknowledgment to continue. He didn’t. “Is there anyway, and I know you already said this was really exclusive, but is it possible that I can get a few of my friends’ names on the list?” She wanted to add more, maybe explain their importance to her or something like that, but she figured that would sound like she was begging. So she just let the question hang there, somewhat patiently awaiting an answer.

“I, uh, I don’t think that will be a problem. I’m sure I can squeeze a couple friends on there. What are there names? I’ll add them today.” At first Rick seemed apprehensive, but he complied.   
“Jesse Swanson and Chloe Beale. Thank you so much. For everything.” Rick simply said “You’re welcome” and hung up the phone.

Beca was elated. Not only would she be playing at a huge club opening on the Sunset Strip and making $100,000 or more, but she would be sharing the night with two of her best friends. Things were looking up for the little alt girl. She couldn't believe how well everything was going. The doubts were all out of her head and she was ready to rock it come Saturday.

_Oh shit_ , her happiness suddenly interrupted. _I have like 4 days to prepare hours worth of mixes!_ So she quickly went to work on her computer, almost forgetting to share the news with Jesse and Chloe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! (And yes there is a pretty big error in the details of this story, it was pointed out to me when I first posted this 2 years ago, but I have thought of a way to fix it).


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy!

From her desk, Beca excitedly picked up the phone and pressed Jesse’s contact information. Jesse had changed his name in Beca’s phone to “Aca God” and took a horrifyingly embarrassing selfie for the caller ID picture. _Could I really expect any less from the weirdo?_ Beca loved it, even though it was kind of awkward for her when he called while she was in public and people saw the name or the picture. Or even worse, heard the anthem to the 80s classic movie, The Breakfast Club. She felt like that ringtone made her look like one of those hipster-poser types and she hated it. But she also loved it because it’s what Jesse had chosen and she wasn't going to change it.

When she pressed on his scrunched and awkward face, she was already kind of smiled. Then he answered, “Hey, there Becs! I’m a little busy at the moment. Y’know, the whole big game release and everything.” He sounded distant. Not space-wise, but in a detached and busy sense, which was understandable. He was pretty occupied and had been for a solid week.

“Oh, uh, I’m sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt you. It’s just that-“ _Maybe I shouldn't have called. I’m sure I could have just texted him the information. But he’s my best friend. I want to share this exciting news with him. Can’t he just take a break for a second? No, he’s got his thing and he’s gotten to talk to me about it a lot and he’s been successful and I haven’t. Now it’s my turn to share my success and he can listen. Or does that sound selfish? God I hate this._ Beca internally argued with herself, just leaving Jesse hanging mid sentence on the other line.

“Becs?” Jesse seemed a little concerned. He thought maybe something had happened. “What did you want to tell me? I can put my work aside.”

“No, it’s not a big deal. You do your work. I can catch you later.” She was audibly upset and only an idiot wouldn't be able to catch it. Luckily, Jesse wasn't that much of an idiot.

“Obviously it’s something important. Beca, don't worry about my work. I can always make time for you, you know that.”

_Hasn't really seemed like it lately_ , she thought. “Okay. Well then, buckle up, this is some pretty big news.” Her mood suddenly changed. She was happy again.

“Oh?” Jesse chuckled lightly at his goofball friend.

“Yeah. So, I called the guy with the club today and-“

“Really? That’s awesome! What did he say?” Jesse excitedly interrupted.

“I was just getting there, actually. But thank you for introducing it.” Beca said sarcastically. Jesse lightly mumbled an apology and Beca just laughed and continued. “Okay first off, the opening is this Saturday at this club called Dorado on the- get this- Sunset Strip.” The words rolled out of Beca’s mouth so quickly and said with such excitement that she seemed like a child whose parents had just told her they were getting a puppy.

“Sunset Strip… Sunset Strip? Sunset Strip!” Jesse took a while to figure out, but once he did he was so congratulatory toward Beca. “Dude, that’s freaking amazing! Every club there is like huge. So many people will be there to hear your stuff.”

“I know! I can’t believe it. And that’s not even the best part. I’m getting paid six. fucking. figures! Like holy shit, that’s like a million times more than what I’ve made at all my other gigs combined.”

“SIX FIGURES? FOR ONE GIG? Fuck, man! Maybe I should’ve taken up DJing.”

“Oh please, you know you wouldn't be nearly as good as me. You stick to pumping up teenagers and I’ll take care of the rich and famous.”

“I see how it is now. You get one good gig and you’re the queen, better than everyone. I get it. Just know that I am hurt, Mitchell. You better not forget me when you’re doing Kim K’s billionth wedding, okay?” Jesse was happy for Beca’s success. He hated not seeing her achieve her goals. But because Beca doesn't do the typical emotions, he had to show his happiness for her with sarcastic jokes, the way Beca usually does.

“Jesse who?”

“Oh whatever, Becs. Even if you forget me, just know that I’ll be at all your shows, cheering on my girl. When you hear a ‘BECAW’, it’ll be me. Unless some groupie asshole tries to steal my signature nickname for you.”

“I really hope you’re still joking. How the hell would I forget you? Plus, Becaw is an awful nickname. No one would steal it.” When Beca actually started to feel all mushy because of Jesse’s words, she had to quickly change gears. Jesse meant a lot to her, _he had to know that, right?_

“You know I am. You would never forget the one that got away. Isn't that how the rom-coms go?”

“Really? You’re asking me? I’ve seen a total of 2 ‘rom-coms’.” An eye roll took over as Beca heard herself say rom-com. “Plus, who said you’re the one that got away? We broke up happily. There was no ‘getting away’.”

“Well, I’m gonna get away now. I’ve got a shit ton of work to do, so I’ve got to go. But I’m really happy and proud of you. I’m assuming you got me into this club, so I’ll see you Saturday.”

“Wow. You just assume I want you to come? How cocky.” Beca was grinning. She loved this banter, not as much as she did with Chloe, but she still liked it. “But yeah, you and Chloe are on the list. I’ll see you Saturday. Have fun pumping up those teenagers.” She couldn't help but laugh at her own jab. Jesse let out a little chuckle and a quick goodbye and she hung up.

Beca was feeling such a high after her conversation with Jesse. She was just so happy and nothing was going to bring her down. Everything was going well for once. _Finally_ , she thought. To keep the high going, Beca decided to call Chloe. She wanted to share the newest details and she wanted to talk about them hanging out tomorrow— another thing that was making Beca feel like she was on top of the world.

“Hello, you’ve reached Chloe Beale. Sorry I couldn't answer your call, but leave a message and I’ll get back to you ASAP. Thank you and have a good day.” Even though Chloe’s voicemail was as basic as possible, it still made Beca happy to hear it every time. She could hear Chloe’s smile and how much she knew she cared about whoever was calling. Although she was happy to hear Chloe’s voice, she was still kinda let down that she didn't answer. But Beca was still on Cloud 9, Chloe not answering wasn't going to ruin that. So she left a quick message, hoping she’d hear back from the redhead soon.

“Hey, Chlo. I got in touch with the club guy. I’ve got those deets now and I wanna share ‘em with you. Also, we gotta figure out what we’re doing and where we are meeting tomorrow. Call me back when you get a chance. Miss ya.” The last bit slipped out without Beca even realizing it, but she didn't really regret it. It was true, and she was pretty positive Chloe wasn't going to think anything of it.

After feverishly working on her mixes for hours, Beca decided to take a little break and go get something to eat. She was going to go to some quiet little diner, but once she was out, she decided she just wanted Chinese takeout. She went in, ordered more than a tiny person like her could eat, and then went back to her apartment, ready to delve back into the music. When her mouth was full of Lo Mein, her phone started to ring. “Party in the USA” started to softly play from the speaker and she knew from the song that it was Chloe. She quickly swallowed and answered the phone. “Hey, I was beginning to think you died.”

“It wasn't even that long. You’re so impatient, you know that?” The redhead laughed just enough to be barely audible. “I got your message. So… Spill! What'd the guy say?!”

“Okay well to start, I looked the guy up and he’s got clubs all around LA. Ones that are frequented by celebs like the Kardashians.”

“OMG are you serious? You could totes meet Khloe! She’s my favorite. If you meet Khloe you’d have to introduce me!” Chloe was going without a breath.

“Woah calm down there, psycho. I’m not meeting any of them, at least I don’t think so. Not that I’d even care. They’re wastes of fame.”

“They are not! They are beautiful style icons. I know you’d care. You’ve watched some of KUWTK. You don’t hate them as much as you act like.” That was true. Beca didn't mind their show, but not because she liked them. She thought of the show as mindless entertainment. When she needed to take a breather from Bellas rehearsals, her own mixes, Jesse, or just life in general, she’s always turn to reality TV. It was always on and it always cured her.

“I only watched that shit show ‘cause you made me! Whatever, that is not the point of all this.”

“Oh yeah, sorry. I just get excited when the Kardashians are mentioned. Go on.” Chloe quickly settled down to let her best friend share.

“So when I called the guy, he said the club was opening on the Sunset Strip, which you know is huge! He also said that I’d be making major money. Well, he didn't say those words, but he said six figures, so yeah, major money.”

“Holy shit! For one night? That seems like a stupid amount of money! But the location is great! Aw, Becs, I am so proud of you! When is it? I have to be there. I hope you already asked him if I could get on the list, if not, I am coming anyway.”

“Yes, I talked to him about that. You got on the list. It’s Saturday night.” Beca was elated at the thought of Chloe being there and watching her at her first big gig. She loved looking at Chloe while she was performing. She always had an encouraging smile, one that made Beca feel warm and like she could do anything.

There was a long pause on Chloe’s end. This was a little weird to Beca. Chloe had been going at full speed since they started talking, and this part should've been just as, if not more exciting to Chloe than anything else. “Chlo…”

“Right, sorry. You said Saturday?” Beca made a little ‘uh huh’ sound and Chloe immediately sighed. “Dammit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, leave a comment with what you thought :) Thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some lead-in before they meet, which will be in the next chapter. We're almost into newly written material now. Enjoy!

Beca was a little worried. Chloe had been so excited. Why had she suddenly stopped? “What is it? Why aren't you excited anymore?”

Chloe took a deep breath before answering, “I, uh, have a show on Saturday, too. I’m so sorry, Becs. I totally want to go and see your mad DJ skills. Damn I feel so bad.” Chloe sounded like she felt bad too. Beca could see her fallen face in her mind.

“Oh. That’s alright. Your show is super important, it’s your career.” Beca couldn't help but sound disappointed because she was. She so badly wanted Chloe to be there. She wanted to share her first bit of success with Chloe. Sure, Jesse would be there, but he was not Chloe. Suddenly, she fell off of her cloud, crashing through the 8 below her and landing hard on the ground. All of her good news, all of her happiness and excitement was suddenly washed away.

“I am so sorry. But the show is supposedly in LA, too. So maybe if mine ends before yours, I can drop by and catch the tail end of your show. What time does yours start?”

“Uh 10. Damn this sucks. You’re gonna be in LA, too? So I could’ve finally seen one of your shows, but no, they have to be on the same night. That’s so annoying, but I will come to one of your shows eventually.”

“Mine starts at 10, too. Hopefully it won’t run as long, I mean I don’t know why it would. And you don’t have to see my shows. There’s nothing special about them. You’ve seen one dancing performance, you’ve seen ‘em all, and you’ve seen me dance countless times.” Chloe seemed off. Beca couldn't tell how exactly, but she could just feel it.

“Well yeah, I’ve seen you dance a lot, but you’ve heard like every mix I’ve ever made and you still wanted to come to my gig. Why wouldn't I do the same for you? You’re my best friend, Chlo, I have to go see your shows, I want to go see your shows! In fact, I am going to start making an effort from here on out. I promise you, I will make it to at least one show by month’s end.”

“There’s not going to be any stopping you, is there? Well, we will discuss it more when we hang out tomorrow! Speaking of, what are we actually doing?” As soon as she switched topics, Chloe seemed to go back to her chipper self.

“Uh well, I figured we could meet up for dinner at The Country Kitchen, then maybe hit a bar or two? We can see what’s around there that interests you.”

“The Country Kitchen. Why there?”

“I don’t remember from who but I heard it was really good and cheap, two things that are very important to me.” Beca laughed a little and Chloe followed.

“With the direction you’re headed, cheap food will no longer be a necessity to you. You’re gonna be making enough to buy your own damn restaurant.”

“God that would be the best thing ever. I could have people cook whatever I wanted whenever I wanted it. Dammit, Beale, now you’ve made me hungry.” Beca had a playfully angry expression on her face, not like Chloe could see it or anything, it just happened naturally. “I had finally been content with the amount of Chinese I had eaten, now I want more.”

“That had nothing to do with me. I feel like you're constantly hungry, which I don't understand cause you're so tiny. And you don't even exercise. I’ve always been jealous of that.”

“Are you kidding me? Your body is perfect. How the hell are you jealous of me? I’m a ‘fairy’, no that wasn't it… ‘sprite’? Oh no it was ‘troll’. Yeah, I’m a troll, remember? That’s nothing to be jealous of.” Beca was still bitter about those short jokes and she felt like she’d never let them go. In fact, Chloe rarely let them go. Chloe liked to tease Beca about her height, because she knew how much it riled up the shorter girl and she loved when Beca got like that.

“Oh yeah. Troll. I do remember that. Aw but you’re a cute troll, if that’s even a thing.” It slipped and she couldn't help it. Chloe just called Beca cute and it wasn't even sarcastic or during their full on banter. Her breath hitched a bit when she realized she said it. She was terrified of what Beca was going to say.

“I don’t think that’s a real thing, but nice try.” Beca heard the cute comment, but she was so used to Chloe being nice that she didn't think anything of it. “Alright, all this Chinese food is making me really tired. I’m gonna head to bed. I’ll text you tomorrow about when we should meet.”

“Night, Becs! Can’t wait to see you tomorrow!” She was relieved that Beca didn't hang on her comment. Then she started to think about seeing Beca tomorrow and she got happy. She hung up the phone and then realized the problem. Beca had wanted to go to one of her shows. Chloe couldn't let that happen. So, instead of going right to bed, Chloe went for another late night run to try and think of ways to deter Beca from watching her.

Beca, however, went to bed pretty shortly after talking to Chloe. She cleaned up the rest of her Chinese food, saving the small amount of leftovers. She opened her fortune cookie, like she always did and read it. _If you’re happy, you’re successful._ Beca looked at the small piece of paper in her hands and smiled. She had always tried to tell herself that when she was performing all the low-end jobs. She would just try to be happy and she figured that would make her feel successful. Of course that was complete bull shit. She wasn't doing what she wanted to do, so why would she be happy? But she was on her way to success now, so she figured she could be happy and successful at the same time.

Beca fell asleep pretty quickly. She was just ready to get to tomorrow night when she’d finally get to see Chloe. That thought kinda raced through her mind for a little while. She was worried it wasn't going to go as well as she thought it would and that maybe it would be kind of awkward like it had been on the phone lately. She was also concerned that they wouldn't really have that much to talk about. Beca didn't really have much going on in her life that Chloe didn't already know, besides the new bisexuality discovery, but she didn't think Chloe needed to know that. After worrying for a few minutes, Beca silenced her brain and doubts by just thinking about how great it would be to see that smile and those bright blue eyes again. After thinking about that, she easily fell asleep.

At a little after noon, Beca woke up. She made her coffee, scrolled through social media, her usual “morning” routine. She then sent Chloe a text just saying hello, getting the conversation ready for their plans. She showered and then sat at the foot of her bed in her towel for a while. Chloe had texted her back while she was in the shower. _Hey, Becs! I’m super excited about today!! :)_ Beca looked at the text and could read Chloe’s happiness. She could picture the red head’s face and bright smile as she read the exclamation points. She replied that she was excited, too and that she was planning on leaving at about 6ish, planning to get to the restaurant at about 7. _Yay! That sounds perfect! I’ll see you then!! :)_

She stood up from her bed after a good few minutes and then walked to the closet, still wrapped in her towel. Taking a shirt off the rack, she grimaced, which was surprising because that shirt was one of her favorites. Then she held up another shirt and put it in front of her torso to see what she’d look like in it. Again, she made a face of disapproval. _Why am I overthinking a damn outfit?_ For some reason, she felt like she had to look perfect for Chloe. She had to look perfect for the woman who has seen her in every possible outfit, good or bad, she’d even seen her without an outfit on. She figured maybe it had something to do with the fact that she hadn't seen Chloe in so long and maybe this time and distance had changed one or both of them. She wanted Chloe to see the Beca that she had always known, even though she felt like she hadn't really changed. After rummaging through her closet and dresser, she decided on a simple dark-colored flannel and gray skinny jeans. She left her hair to be naturally wavy and put on her makeup. After all that, it was pretty close to 3. To kill time, Beca decided to sit down and watch some reality TV.

After a few shitty hours of Property Brothers, Beca was ready to leave for Malibu. She picked up her phone to text Chloe to see if she was leaving, but she already had a text from her saying that she left a little bit ago. Somehow Beca hadn't felt the vibration and missed the text. Chloe lived farther away than Beca did, so she figured she’d still have enough time without being the late one, like she usually was.

Outside her apartment complex, Beca hailed a taxi. She gave the man the address to the restaurant and then put her headphones in. Listening to a mix of Toxic by Britney Spears and Radioactive by Imagine Dragons, Beca started to daydream about how she thought the night would play out. She figured that once her and Chloe met up, Chloe would run and give her a huge, tight, and enthusiastic hug like she did all the time. Then they'd talk for a while over dinner. Letting her mind wander, Beca then started to picture her and Chloe walking along the beach at around sunset. It was pretty and romantic. When she felt herself start to smile at the idea, she quickly snapped back to reality. _Why the hell did I just picture that? That was like straight out of a Nicholas Sparks movie._ The thought kind of repulsed Beca. Even if she wanted to do something romantic with Chloe, which she didn’t, a walk along the beach during sunset was way too cliche and cheesy. Afraid of having another weird daydream, Beca just decided to mindlessly play games on her phone until she arrived. After running out of lives on Candy Crush and TwoDots, Beca had arrived at the restaurant.

She walked up to the tiny storefront restaurant, a little taken aback. It was not at all the type of restaurant she had expected. It had a bright blue banner and four small picnic tables outside. It was in a spot where like a nail salon would typically be, not the usual setting for a restaurant. As she was going to grab the door, she heard a sharp shriek and turned around. She was pulled into exactly the hug she had expected. Chloe was bouncing up and down and squeezing Beca. She didn't realize it, but when Chloe pulled her into a hug, she closed her eyes. When she opened them, she immediately pulled out of the hug and looked at Chloe. “Why the fuck are you blonde?”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally they've met up! Me from a year or two ago apologizes for this taking so long. But as always, enjoy and let me know what you think!

“Oh I guess you wouldn't have known. I died it as a part of my new job. Anyway!” Chloe was smiling brightly as she absent-mindedly ran her hands through her hair. She had forgotten that Beca didn't know about the hair change, and she was hoping she wouldn't really ask anymore questions about it.

“You had to dye your hair to be a dancer? I loved the red hair. Why the fuck would they make you change it?” Beca was looking all over Chloe’s face with her eyebrows furrowed. She was trying to get used to the change, but it was just so drastic. However, with the new hair color, Chloe’s bright blues sparkled even more, so was it really that bad? Beca started to notice that Chloe seemed sad about Beca’s intense glare, so she decided to let it go, it’s just hair anyway. “Nevermind it, actually. It suits you. Apparently blondes have more fun, we’ll see if that rings true tonight, won’t we?” Beca was smirking now.

“Oh trust me, Mitchell. Tonight will be a blast. How can it not? I haven't seen you in months. We are gonna get trashed, I’ve already decided.” Chloe was brimming. She was so happy to be with her best friend again and happy that she had changed the subject away from her hair. Chloe grabbed the shorter girl's hand and led her into the sketchy restaurant.

Inside, it was very small. There were two booths and two high top tables in the dining area. In the back of the space was a counter that extended the whole length of the restaurant. Above it was the menu. Chloe and Beca stood there a moment trying to decide what they wanted, asking each other what sounded good. Chloe decided on a turkey and avocado sandwich and Beca went for a hot ham and salami sandwich. Once they ordered, the guy behind the counter told them their total and handed them a number.

"Actually we are going to pay separately.” Beca said sort of shyly looking between the cashier and Chloe.

“No, we’re not. I’ll get it.” Then Chloe handed the man a card and looked at Beca while smiling.

“Uh, you didn't have to do that. I could've gotten my own food.” Beca was blushing slightly at the gesture, but she felt bad that Chloe had done that.

“Becs, I haven’t seen you in a while and you just got a huge break. This is my way of saying I missed you and congrats.” There was that bright-eyed smile again. Beca couldn't really stay focused on it anymore, so she just thanked her. “I missed you, too.” Chloe had been holding Beca’s hand and she didn't even realize it until Chloe squeezed it when she said that.

Chloe led Beca to one of the picnic tables outside and put their number in the little stand on the table. She looked at Beca with a wide grin, neither of them saying anything for a minute or two. It wasn't uncomfortable, though, Beca thought. It wasn't like their lulls over the phone. Here, they could look at each other and take each other in without having to say anything. It was really good to see Chloe and she just wanted to look at her for a while, even though she is a blonde now.

“Have you talked to Emily?” Finally Chloe broke the silence, which Beca didn't mind. Even if they are talking, she can still look at Chloe and take her in.

“Yeah a little. She has Benji there helping her, so she's not as swamped as you made me believe.” “

Aww I almost forgot about him. That makes me happy! I love them together.” Chloe bounced a little in her seat and her eyes sparkled, Beca could've sworn.

Beca laughed a little. “Yeah they’re pretty damn cute.”

“Woah. Did Beca Mitchell just admit to a couple being cute?” She looked around dramatically. “I can’t be the only one who heard that. Where are we? What just happened? I know, we are in the twilight zone.” Chloe was taking this a little farther than she usually does when she's making fun of Beca.

“Ha-ha. You’re so funny, Beale.” Bec rolled her eyes, but she was still wearing a faint smile. “Everyone can agree that Emily and Benji are cute, that’s an objective opinion. Plus, I was in a relationship for 4 years. I don't hate them, I just hate cheesy romance, you know that.”

“Oh right. Just no PDA, no grand romantic gestures, no pet names, basically no relationshippy things, that’s how you roll. I forgot.”

And that was true, or at least had always been how Beca had felt. But here she was with Chloe, post-holding hands and missing it. They had shared a big hug and she didn't mind it. _Why is that?_ Beca thought. But tired of thinking about it, she just blinked a few times to clear her mind, like the blinking would erase the thoughts.

“Exactly. Anything that would come straight out of a John Hughes movie is a no-go for me.” She hated the fact that she even knew enough about John Hughes and his movies to make the reference.

The two talked back and forth for a minute or two, then their food came. They maintained small talk throughout their meal, adding some snide comments in between bites. They reminisced about a few Bellas memories, talked about Jesse and his relationship with Beca now, and mostly about how much they missed each other and how nothing was the same since they moved apart.

Once they were done with their food, they stayed seated for a little bit to continue talking. They talked until close to 9 o’clock. When it started to get dark, they were kinda snapped out of their own world of just the two of them.

“Woah it’s so much later than I thought it was!” Chloe said as she clicked her home button to check the time on her phone. “We better get our butts to a bar soon, Mitchell.” She then stood up and walked to Beca’s side of the table and grabbed her arm to pull her up.

“Ugh. Do we have to?” Beca let her arm and upper body go limp to make it extra hard for Chloe to get her up. But Beca was smirking, so her posed displeasure was not as convincing as she had wanted.

“Yes you do. And you’re going to get drunk and you’re going to have fun.”

“Hm. Guess I don’t really get a say in the matter then?”

“Nope. I’ve decided it all. I also already found where we are going.” Chloe took out her phone to double check the address.

“Oh really? How and when did you do that?” Beca was trying to sneak a peek at Chloe’s phone to see where they're going.

“Well I had to do my research before we came. I couldn't have us walking around aimlessly like we did in Copenhagen. So I went on Yelp and found this place that’s just a ways up the street. However, it’s a little too far to walk, so we can just drive there. It’s about 10 minutes.”

Beca was grinning, but shaking her head. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?”

“Hey, I am just trying to be prepared.” Chloe was smiling brightly at Beca and then she turned to head toward her car.

Beca followed her and then got into the passenger seat of Chloe’s black Jetta upon instruction. Before Chloe put the car into drive, she rolled the windows down, queued up a playlist to play through her aux cord, and cranked the volume.

Beca just sat there and watched the whole ordeal. “Aren’t we just going like 10 minutes up the road? Was all this really necessary?”

“Music is always necessary for a fun night, Beca. You of all people should know that.” Chloe then started out of the parking lot singing and dancing along to Formation by Beyonce. Beca watched Chloe almost the whole ride there while doing a little singing along of her own, but Chloe’s performances were just too great to look away from. She sat there and just couldn't stop thinking about how much she had missed her best friend and how glad she was that they were together now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so from here on out, the story will be written fresh. Now that I've hyped it up, I'm worried my writing skills actually haven't improved any from these chapters, but I will try! Thanks again for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so now that I'm writing new material, everything is gonna be posted a little more slowly. I will try and keep a regular schedule, but I'm busy a lot of the time. Anyway, here is the next chapter, it's a little longer than the others and I ended up taking it a way different direction than I planned. Enjoy!

Chloe was right. It had taken them almost exactly ten minutes, or as Beca thought of it, two and a half songs. The bar looked to be pretty decent sized and right along the beach, which Beca thought was nice. Chloe pulled into a crowded parking lot just a building or two down, then shifted the car into park. Once the car was off, Chloe looked eagerly to Beca.

“We’re here!”

“I can see that, thank you.” Beca started to undo her seatbelt then stopped when she realized Chloe wasn’t moving to get out of the car. “Um are you coming?”

Chloe’s eyes were fixed on Beca, but she quickly blinked and shook her head. “Yeah, sorry. Just super excited I forgot what was happening for a second.” She shyly laughed as she undid her seatbelt.

The two got out and met around the back of the car. Chloe quickly grabbed Beca’s hand again and pulled her toward the building where they could already hear the music blaring. Beca was a little apprehensive, seeing as how she wasn’t a big fan of nightclubs what with the whole crowded areas, obnoxiously flashing lights, too expensive of drinks, and piggish men, but holding Chloe’s hand and following just slightly behind her made her feel a little happier about the whole ordeal. They walked up and saw that there was a decent-sized line in front of the building, but Chloe just decided to walk right past all the waiting people. Beca pulled back a little when she realized Chloe was going straight for the bouncer.

“Hello!” She flashed her wide blue eyes at the tall, darkly dressed man standing in front of her. “We were just wondering if you’d let me and my friend here in.” She motioned her free hand to Beca then went up to whisper something into the bouncer’s ear, letting go of Beca. Beca couldn’t hear anything she was saying, but she could tell she probably didn’t want to know. Pretty soon after, the gentleman lifted the rope and motioned for them to go inside, telling them to have a good night.

“I don’t know how you do it.” Beca said to Chloe, one eyebrow raised higher than the other.

“It’s called charm. And I have a lot of it.” Chloe glanced back at Beca and shot her a wink, again grabbing her hand.

“Oh trust me, I know you do.”

They walked through the doors and immediately experienced sensory overload. The club was very big and insanely crowded. There were red and purple lights that were scanning over the main dance area, while all the other lights were dark. The music was so loud that when Chloe said something to Beca, she didn’t even notice until Chloe was pressed against Beca’s ear.

“I said, why don’t we go over to the bar?” Chloe’s breath was hot against Beca’s face and neck, adding to the overload in her senses. Short-circuiting, all Beca could do was nod then follow when Chloe dragged her by the hand.

They made their way through all the sweaty bodies, bumping areas of those bodies they shouldn’t have been. Eventually, they made it to the bar, which was no less crowded than the dance floor.

“What do you want to drink?” Chloe was leaning into Beca again so that she could hear.

With a shrug, Beca said, “Uhhh, I don’t care. Surprise me.”

Chloe beamed with the power, then she turned around to try and get the bartenders attention. Beca watched her then looked around at all the people. As she was looking around, she noticed a group of people getting up from a high-top just at the other end of the bar. Beca tapped Chloe’s elbow to let her know that she was going to snag the table.

Beca sat there, mindlessly hitting her fingers on the tabletop to the beat of the music. She kept glancing over at Chloe, getting anxious being by herself. Beca figured Chloe would probably strike up a conversation with someone at the bar, like she usually does, and that would just leave Beca there by herself longer. She was trying to push the anxious thoughts out of her head and psych herself up to be excited. _I’m finally hanging out with Chloe, and everything has been going great so far. I don’t think sitting here a little bit longer will really mess the night up._ She was trying hard. Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder and glanced over to the bar, seeing that Chloe was still there. Confused, Beca turned around to see a beautiful woman about her age standing behind her.

“Hey there! Is anyone sitting with you?” She pointed to one of the empty stools and looked at Beca inquisitively.

“Um actually my friend is at the bar right now grabbing us some drinks.” Beca looked the woman up and down, unintentionally. She was wearing a cropped black leather jacket with a white tanktop underneath and black ripped jeans. Her hair was a dirty blonde, long, and wavy. She seemed to tower over Beca, which just added to the intimidation of this gorgeous woman.

“Oh okay! Mind if I sit with you for a minute until she comes back? I’m sorry my feet are just killing me.” She laughs lightly and takes a seat at the stool across from Beca before she’s given approval. “I’m Cameron, by the way.”

“Beca” she said through a tight-lipped smile. Quickly, Beca glanced back over to the bar to see what was taking Chloe so long. Of course, she was talking to some handsome guy sitting next to her.

“Nice to meet you, Beca!” Cameron sat there looking at Beca with a sweet smile, which was endearing to Beca. Beca couldn’t help but stare at her, she was really stunning. However, she found herself comparing this endearing smile to the one Chloe always gives her, and this girl’s could never live up to that smile.

After a little awkward silence between the two women, Beca spoke up. “Are you here by yourself?”

“No, I’m here with a few friends, but they are way too into dancing and it is just exhausting me.” She laughed again. Beca noticed how sweet her laugh was and how when she laughed, her eyes would crinkle a little. Then she looked to the bar and saw Chloe laughing at the guy she’s talking to and found herself comparing the two again.

“I get that. My friend dragged me here and it’s not really my thing.” Then she paused when she realized that clubs are exactly her thing. That’s her profession. “Well, I guess I mean I don’t really like them for a social outing.” When Cameron looked at her with a furrowed brow, she explained further. “I’m a DJ, actually. So clubs are kinda where I belong.” She laughed uneasily.

“Oh my god! That’s so cool!” Cameron jumped up a little in her seat and leaned her elbows on the table.

Beca chuckled shyly and brought her hand and ran it through her hair. “Yeah, I guess.”

Cameron scooted her stool closer to Beca and started asking her a whole bunch of questions about being a DJ. As they were talking, Cameron put her hand on Beca’s thigh and kept touching her arm with her free hand. Beca noticed the little touches, but thought nothing of them really. Slowly, Beca started to feel less nervous and was actually enjoying talking to Cameron, still completely oblivious to the flirtation. Throughout the conversation, she couldn’t stop looking over at Chole. She felt herself missing her friend’s company.

After another 10 or so minutes of Beca and Cameron getting to know each other, Chloe started to finally make her way back over. Beca jumped out of her seat excitedly to greet her.

“Hey finally! I thought you were abandoning me.”

Chloe looked to Cameron a little skeptically, but turned her attention back to Beca. “I wasn’t even gone that long. You’re so dramatic. And you know that I would never abandon you.” She sat down at one of the other remaining stools pushing a drink toward Beca. “Here’s your drink. I got you a long island iced tea.”

“Damn you trying to kill me?” Beca knew how much alcohol went into those cocktails.

“Maybe. But you don’t get to complain. You told me to surprise you.” Finally, Chloe acknowledged the girl next to Beca. “Hi. My name is Chloe.”

“Hi, Chloe! I’m Cameron!”

“Yeah, Cameron was here keeping me company while you were off flirting at the bar.” Beca took a sip of her drink, keeping her eyes on Chloe with an eyebrow arched.

“Oh hush. I was not flirting. Besides, why would you care? You jealous?” Chloe smirked deviously at Beca, causing her to blush slightly.

Cameron just sat there watching the two go back and forth, starting to get a little uncomfortable, so she stood up. “I’m gonna head back to my friends now. It was nice talking to you, Beca.” She leaned down a little and kissed Beca on the cheek. Beca’s face was immediately pink and she felt it getting hot.

“Uh you too. Nice meeting you.” Beca looked down at her hands mostly, not wanting to make eye contact.

“Try and find me on the dance floor later.” And with that, Cameron walked off.

Immediately, Beca knew what Chloe’s face would be. When she looked away from her hands that were resting on the table, she met eyes with Chloe. And as she had expected, Chloe’s eyebrows were raised playfully and her smile was wide. Beca was still blushing and Chloe called her out on it. “Wow and here I thought **_you_** were jealous cause **_I_** was flirting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I appreciate the feedback and such that I've received so far.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, like I said, new chapters are gonna be a little slower cause of work and such. But I am dedicated to this story, so I am trying to keep up as much as possible. I wanna thank everyone for all the feedback and love that I have received on this story so far! Hope you enjoy this next one. :)

Chloe’s comment made Beca blush even harder. _Is she jealous ‘cause of Cameron? Why would she be jealous?_ Beca just laughed shakily and said “oh, shut up” before taking another drink, this time a much bigger sip.

“Seriously, what was that?” Chloe was sitting really close to Beca now. Their knees were hitting underneath the table. She had one elbow on the table and was resting her face in her hand, looking intensely at Beca.

“I honestly have no idea. I swear I didn’t notice her flirting with me, if she even was! I don’t know where that kiss came from.” Beca was waving her hands a little more than usual, which she does when she’s nervous.

Chloe just laughed because of course Beca was oblivious to flirting. She had been oblivious to 4 years of Chloe flirting with her. “Well she definitely seemed into you, plus she was hot as hell. Maybe I should leave you alone more often.” Then she shot Beca a wink. Even though she was teasing Beca about Cameron, she did feel a little twist in her stomach. Seeing Beca getting along like that with another girl, with a hot girl, was kind of off-putting and painful for her.

“Would you stop? It was nothing.” She paused for a second, taking another drink and looking at Chloe. “She was hot though, wasn’t she?” When Chloe slapped her arm, Beca just laughed even harder.

They sat there for a little bit longer talking and watching people dance. When the both finished their drinks, Beca offered to go back up to the bar for another round. She figured that if she went up, the two wouldn’t be separated for as long as if Chloe went. It took her a total of 3 minutes to grab the bartender’s attention, have him make the drinks, then pay. She maneuvered her way back to Chloe who eagerly took her drink from Beca’s hand.

“Let’s go dance!” Chloe was standing right in front of Beca, looking at her excitedly.

“Ugh, Chlo, I don’t wanna dance. Plus, we just got new drinks and they’re expensive as hell, I don’t want to spill them.” Beca’s shoulders were slumped and she looked up at Chloe’s pleading eyes and tried to continue her protest. Not long after, she was agreeing and being whisked away by Chloe’s firm grasp on her hand.

On the dance floor, Beca was just standing there awkwardly, slowly moving her hips slightly. Chloe, on the other hand, was really getting into the music. She had her drink in one hand and her other running through her hair while she was swaying her hips with the beat of the music. Occasionally, she would back up against Beca and slightly grind on her. When she did this, Beca had no idea what to do. She froze, but her whole body felt warm. On the third time that Chloe was dancing on her, Beca noticed her drink was empty. She took that as an excuse to leave the situation and go get them more drinks.

At the bar, Beca kept trying to find Chloe on the dance floor, but it was too crowded. She was still a little uneasy from the close proximity of her and Chloe. I _don’t understand what’s going on. Why am I so nervous about this? Chloe has danced like this a million times when we would go out during Bellas competitions._ And that was true, Chloe would always do this to Beca when they went out, and it was usually unsettling for Beca. However, this time was so much harder and Beca couldn’t figure out why. When the bartender came back with another round of their drinks, Beca ordered a shot of Absolut. She needed a little something more to calm her nerves. Beca took the shot, then a heavy sigh before she headed back to find Chloe.

Chloe was still dancing enthusiastically when Beca came over. Beca walked up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention. Chloe immediately lit up when she saw Beca, and even more so when she saw the refilled glass. She thanked Beca, kissed her on the cheek, then took her drink from Beca. Beca’s eyes widened a little at the contact and her cheek burned. With the nerves returning feverishly in her stomach, Beca started downing her drink. It was a little stronger than the other two, so she coughed and shook her head.

After she finished her drink, Beca was definitely a little loser. Chloe was also a little tispy, so her previously coordinated dancing became slightly sloppier. When Chloe was grinding on Beca then, she didn’t freeze in response anymore. In fact, Beca found herself putting her hand on Chloe’s hip at one point. The nerves in her stomach turned to happy butterflies. When she realized the change, the feeling is what freaked her out more than the actual physical contact. Again, to get an escape and clear her head, she went to the bar. This continued as a cycle for a little over an hour. 3 more drinks later and the two were completely drunk.

Beca was exhausted of dancing and asked Chloe to move back to a table. Begrudgingly, she agreed and stopped dancing to walk back over to where they started. At the table, Chloe sat right next to Beca. She was resting her hand on Beca’s thigh and looking at her with that same intense glare that she always does.

“Hey, Becs.” Chloe tilted her head like a dog who’s asked to go for a ride.

“Yes?” Beca moved to rest her chin on the back of her hand.

“I’m really glad you’re here with me. I missed you so much and I’m having so much fun with you.”

“I can understand why you missed me. I mean, I am super fun and great.”

Chloe slapped Beca’s thigh and laughed lightly. “I’m serious!”

“I am too!” Beca had a wide grin on her face, but then her eyes softened. “I’m really glad I’m here with you too, Chlo.”

They sat there looking at each other in silence for a good minute or so. Then Beca broke the silence. “Hey, Chlo. Can I tell you something?” She looked serious and she sat up straight.

Chloe leaned forward even more, almost completely closing the small gap that was between them. “Of course you can.”

“Um, well, recently I’ve kind of-” she looked down and fumbled with her fingers. She didn’t know how to say what she wanted to. Then she felt Chloe’s fingers on her chin. She turned her face up to meet her bright blue eyes, which were so welcoming. She knew not to be nervous to tell Chloe this, and she could feel that reassurance just from Chloe’s eyes. She didn’t even need to say anything.

“I’m bisexual.” As soon as she said it, she let out a big sigh of relief, feeling the weight off her chest and shoulders.

Chloe’s smile in return was warm. She grabbed Beca’s hand and gave it a slight squeeze. “Thank you for sharing that with me, Becs.”

Beca looked down at the table and saw their hands holding onto each other. She felt those butterflies in her stomach and her body got warm again. Suddenly, she got an urge to kiss Chloe’s cheek, so she acted on it. Chloe blinked back at her, a little surprised, but she was wearing a bright smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I want to thank you all for reading! Hope you liked it! Let me know!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, I have been super busy with work. I'm gonna try and write a bunch with these next two days off, so that I don't have to delay more. I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, so I would really appreciate some feedback. Anyway, enjoy!

After a little bit of them sitting there, mostly in silence with some light conversation, Beca decided she wanted to leave the club.

“Where do you wanna go?” Chloe was still sitting, holding onto a standing Beca’s arm.

“Why don’t we take a walk on the beach? It’s right behind here, right?” Beca was swaying a little.

“Yes! OMG that sounds so nice. Let’s go.” Chloe jumped up out of her seat and started leading Beca through the crowd.

They walked out the doors and saw a decently long line still waiting to get into the club. It was a little chilly and Chloe let go of Beca’s hand to rub her arms to try and keep warm.

“Dude, it’s not that cold. You’re being dramatic.” Beca rolled her eyes and smiled.

“Excuse me, you’re in jeans and a flannel. Of course it’s not cold for you.”

“Fine. Take my flannel then if it’ll keep you from complaining.” Beca shrugged the shirt off her shoulders and was just wearing a navy spaghetti strap.

Chloe’s eyes lit up. “Awwww, Becs! That’s so sweet! Thank you.”

Beca just rolled her eyes again and started heading toward the beach. When they got to the little wooden stairway that lead to the sand, they both took off their shoes. The sand was cold on their feet, but it felt nice after all the dancing.

They walked down the beach, Chloe’s arm interlocked in Beca’s. “This is so nice,” Chloe whispered lightly to herself.

“What’d you say?”

“I said this is nice.” She squeezed Beca’s arm a little tighter.

“Yeah, it is.” Beca looked up to meet Chloe’s eyes and smiled.

“I have an idea.” “What is it?” Beca’s eyebrow was arched curiously.

“Let’s go in the water!”

“Oh my god, Chlo. We don’t have swim suits.”

Chloe let go of Beca’s arm and started taking off the flannel she was lent. “That’s the fun!”

“Dude, no! You’re drunk. Stop taking off you clothes.”

Chloe just locked eyes with Beca and started undoing her dress.

“There’s not stopping you, is there?” Chloe shook her head, smiling playfully. “Ugh fine.” Beca started to take off her tank top and unbutton her jeans. Once she had freed herself from the pants, she looked up and saw Chloe standing proudly naked, hands on her hips. Beca felt a twist in her stomach again and she couldn’t keep herself from looking Chloe up and down.

“Like what you see?” Chloe winked.

Beca felt the blush that ran across her cheeks. “This isn’t the first time I’ve seen you naked, Beale.”

“Very true. Hurry up and let’s get in the water!”

Beca begrudgingly took off her undergarments and felt the heat of Chloe’s stare on her.

“Alright, let’s go, I guess.”

Immediately, Chloe grabbed Beca’s arm and started running for the water. Their feet splashed as they ran further into the ocean. When they reached about knee height, they could no longer run. They waded a little further until the water was waist high. They were both laughing for no real reason. Beca forgot for a second that they were both naked until she looked down and saw Chloe’s bare chest. She felt hot then, so she lifted her feet from the ocean floor so that the water would go up to her shoulders, covering her body.

Chloe was smiling and decided to playfully splash Beca, which caused a mock outrage. “Oh hell no!” Beca started splashing back, and they were both laughing.

After a little more splashing and dunking, Chloe leaned backwards and started floating, chest up. Beca followed and they floated there for a while, holding hands. They started talking about the stars and how pretty everything was in that moment.

“I could just stay here like this forever.” Chloe said to the sky.

Beca turned her head as much as she could without getting a face-ful of water and smiled over at Chloe. “Yeah, its pretty awesome.”

After another minute or two, Chloe stood back up in the water, Beca followed. “Okay, I am cold now. Let’s get out.”

Beca just laughed and they both made their way out of the water. Chloe shivered and picked up her clothes from the pile she made on the sand.

“Um how are we supposed to dry off?” Beca was standing there with her pile in her hands.

“Oooh I have another idea.” All of a sudden, Chloe threw her clothes back to the sand and took off down the beach.

“What the hell?!” Beca set her clothes down and followed after.

A ways down the beach, Chloe stopped and waited for Beca to catch up. “What was that?” Beca was out of breath and completely confused.

“Aren’t you dryer now?” Chloe looked proud, again with her hand on her hip.

Beca looked down at herself and felt her arms, then sighed. “I guess. But damn, Beale, that was so weird! I had no idea what you were doing. Also, you know I hate anything involving running.”

Chloe just laughed then took off back the way they came. Beca groaned and followed. They stopped at their piles of clothes. Both girls bent down to pick up their underwear and started getting redressed. Chloe slid her dress back on, but was struggling with the zipper.

“Hey, Becs?”

“Yeah?” Beca stood back up straight after pulling her jeans on. It was a struggle putting skinny jeans on with slightly damp legs.

“Can you zip me up?” Chloe walked over and stood right in front of Beca.

“Sure. Turn around.”

Chloe turned, but her hair was over the zipper, so Beca gathered it all and moved it over her shoulder. Her hand brushed against the nape of Chloe’s neck, which caused her to shiver. Beca zipped up the dress and rested her hand on Chloe’s bare shoulder, then she moved closer to her. Chloe could feel Beca’s breath on her neck and they both stood there completely still.

Slowly, Chloe turned to face Beca, their noses almost touching. Chloe then grabbed Beca’s upper arms and slid her hands down to hold her wrists. Beca was still frozen, smiling slightly but awkwardly. She could smell the alcohol on Chloe’s breath, but it was mixed with the lavender smell that Chloe usually wore. Oddly, it wasn’t an awful mix to Beca. Her mind was racing, taking in everything about the situation. She kept focusing on the distance, or lack thereof, between them. She looked right into the bright blue eyes looking back at her and swallowed hard.

They had been silent for a good two minutes, just standing there staring at each other. Chloe was the one to finally break the silence and said in a very low whisper, “Why don’t we head back up?”

“Yeah, yep, sounds good.” Beca was still very nervous and had to snap out of her thoughts.

Chloe grabbed Beca’s hand and walked them back up toward the bar.

“Uh, Chlo?”

“Yes?” Chloe was a little ahead of Beca, but slowed to be next to her.

“We’re both super drunk still. There’s no way I am letting you drive all the way back to Santa Barbra tonight.

“Good point. What are you suggesting we do?”

Beca didn’t answer right away because she didn’t know what they could do. She had taken a cab, so Chloe could come back to her apartment in LA with her, but then her car would be stuck in Malibu. She figured Chloe would have to stay there in Malibu, but she didn’t want to leave her there. “Well, I guess we could try and find a hotel here.”

“Aw yes that sounds like such a good idea!” Chloe squeezed Beca’s hand a little harder. They got to the wooden stairway again and picked up their shoes that they carelessly left just thirty minutes ago. Then they walked to the sidewalk on the street with the bar. They went back to the parking lot where Chloe’s car was. At the car, Chloe grabbed some stuff out and Beca looked on her phone for a nearby hotel.

“Hey there’s a hotel about a 10-minute drive away from here and it’s not super expensive. Want me to get an uber?”

Chloe got out of the car and stood in front of Beca, face lit up. “Sounds perfect!”

A couple minutes later, they were in the car, headed to the hotel. Chloe had taken over the driver’s aux cord and was playing “Wild Thoughts” by Rihanna and DJ Khaled. Their hands were intertwined on the seat between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and putting up with this story and my slowness haha. Yes, this is getting very offtrack of the main story, I know. I just thought I'd flesh out this meeting with Beca and Chloe before I get to the main plot, but I will get there, I promise. Let me know what you thought! :)


End file.
